Cylinder for dry cleaning machines



Ap 13, 1954 c. s. SHIELDS 2,674,869

CYLINDER FOR DRY- CLEANING MACHINES Filed May 23, 1950 INVENTOR. 64,6% 5. /-l/ELDS Patented Apr. 13, 17954 UNITED STATES PTENT orifice 2,674,869 CYLINDER FOR DRY CLEANING MACHINES Carl S. Shields, Wicklile, Ollio Application May 23, 1950, Serial No. 163,732

(Cl. (iS- 143) 6 Claims. l

The present invention relates generally to vessels useful in cleaning operations and is more particularly concerned with a novel dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments while they are being cleaned by the machine.

In tho conventional modern dry cleaning machine, a compartmented cylinder is provided within a housing which contains dry cleaning liquid and the clothing to be cleaned is loaded into the cylinder through doors located in one end thereof. The cylinder is typically of sheet metal construction and is provided with a large number of small openings in its sides to allow the cleaning liquid to iiow in and out of the cylinder and contact the clothing therein. The cleaning results obtained with this type of machine are usually satisfactory but there are certain difculties involved in the use of this machine and certain shortcomings of the machine itself which have persisted through its development despite determined eiorts of engineers and designers to eliminate them. For one thing, garments are often damaged in the machine, being snagged or caught and torn on parts within the cylinder such as flanges or stilening members. Furthermore, weight and manufacturing costs of the ordinary compartmented cylinder have been much higher than desired.

In accordance with the present invention,l the weight and manufacturing costs of these cylinders can be substantially reduced and, at the same time, dry cleaning machine cylinders can be made in such a way that they will not damage garments charged into them, but rather will offer only perfectly smooth snag-free surfaces for contact with the garments and will have no inner flanges, braces, etc. Moreover, these results can be obtained without in any way reducing the capaoity of these cylinders, their external and internal accessibility or their utility, and while substantially increasing the strength and ruggedness and the normal service life of these cylinders. Still further, because of the manner in which the cylinders of my invention are constructed, they are easier and less expensive to repair than those of the prior art.

Those skilled in the art will gain a further understanding of this invention and will recognize additional advantages thereof upon consideration of the detailed description set out below, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the specification, in which:

Fig. l is an end elevational View of a cylinder embodying this invention in a preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the cylinder of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on showing a back wall elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing in transverse cross section a front wall stiffener member;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l, showing in transverse cross section portions of engaged peripheral parts of semi-cylindrical elements and a partition plate of the Fig. 1 cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the door latch means of this invention taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the access end wall portion of the cylinder, showing how the door automatically seals the access opening.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a cylinder C of this invention comprises in general two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, open-ended sheet metal .bodies I0 having relatively short, out wardly-projecting flanges I I which extend axially of the bodies along their edges. Bodies I il are arranged with their lianges i I opposed and a pair of sheet metal, substantially semi-circular front end plates I4 are attached to one end of bodies I 0 and a secon-d pair of sheet metal substantially semi-circular back end plates I 5 are secured to thc other end of bodies IIJ to closecylinder C. Finally, means are provided for substantially huid-tightly securing together opposed edges of end .plates i4 and I5 and, opposed anges I I.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, bodies IEI are provided with a larger number of perforations arranged in regular patterns in accordance with conventional practice and these bodies are made suitably from perforate fiat sheet metal blanks which are bent into semicylindrical shape in a machine operation, after being provided with relatively short anges II, suitably by another conventional machine operation.

The end wall plates I4 are each provided With an access opening and a hinged door I'I and latch means I8 so that the door can be maintained closed when the cylinder is being rotated in a typical cleaning operation. The edge portions of plate I4 defining the access openings are turned inwardly and disposed generally convergingly and the edges of doors Il are tapered inwardly in a generally complimentary manner so that when the doors are closed the edges of the doors are wedged into the access openings and sealing thereof is assured. Four circumferentially-spaced elongated sheet metal brace or stiffening members 2li are welded to the outer sides of platesv I4 line 3-3 of Fig. l and stiffening member in end are of substantially the same general in radially opposed pairs around the axis of the cylinder.

Latch means I8 includes a latch lever i9 pivotally secured to each door Il adjacent to the edge thereof remote from the hinge, and a sheet metal keeper bracket 2| secured to the end wall at a point adjacent to the access opening for receipt of the projecting end of lever i9 when the door is in closed position. Bracket 2l is formed in ilanged channel shape so that its midportion is spaced from wall I4 but has a depressed portion or dimple to bear against the said projecting end of lever i9 to lock the lever positively in closed position. Positive locking of door l1 thus is obtained by this invention without the use of springs which tend to corrode rapidly and lose their resiliency under conditions of use in dry cleaning machines. Furthermore, by virtue of this invention, adjustments may be made in the relative position and shape of dim-ple 25 to obtain any of a number and variety of locking effects from relatively free and loose to tight.

The opposed substantially straight edge portions of plates i4 are provided with relatively short, outwardly-projecting flanges 22, and in their mid-sections the edges and flanges are curved inwardly of their respective plates to denne a substantially circular aperture 23 of relatively small diameter to receive a shaft bushing as indicated at 2,4,

Back wall plates l5, unlike plates it, have no access openings or doors, and their elongated external sheet metal stiffeners 2B cover wider areas than stiffeners 20. Plates i5, however, shape as plates i4 and have relatively short outwardlyextending flanges 2S along their opposed edges and these flanges and said edges cooperate to denne an axial aperture 29 to receive a shaft bushing or the like as described above.

Plates I4 and I5 are suitably manufactured from sheet metal stock by standard machine tools and operations, both types being cut, ilanged and drilled in the same manner and design and plates d receiving additional treatment to provide their additional features as stated above.

Also in the preferred embodiment of this invention, partition means are provided within the cylinder including two diametrically-opposed metal plates 3B of substantially the same shape and dimensions, the outer edge portions 3l of which are disposed between opposed anges il, E2 and 2B. Inner edge portions 32 of partition plates 3l] are secured in spaced relation to each other by means of a pair of opposed semi-cylindrical 'flanged metal plates 34 and rivets 35 which extend through opposed flanges of plates i and edge portions 3l disposed between said flanges. The cylindrical space described by plates 34 is substantially in register with apertures 23 and 2S to receive a drive shaft or trunnions (not shown) to support the cylinder. Plates 3d are secured to the cylinder by means of welds 40 (Fig. 5) which serve also to secure plates lll and l5 and semi-cylindrical bodies lil in position with respect to each other. Because welds il extend substantially around the cylinder on its midsection, the cylinder has all the stiffness and strength of the substantially heavier and more expensive cylinders of the prior art.

Having thus described the present invention so that those skilled in the art may be able to understandV and practice the saine, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defmed in. what is. danced.

CII

What is claimed is:

l. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perorate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting flange portions extending axially along the edges of said bodies, said bodies being arranged with said flange portions opposed to define an openended cylinder, a pair of' sheet metal, substantially semi-circular end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, the diametral edges of the end plates being oppositely disposed, partition means including a metal plate in the cylinder having outer edge portions disposed between the opposed edges of the end plates and the opposed outwardly extending iange portions of the said bodies, means for substantially fluidtightly securing said partition plate to the said opposed edges and flange portions, openings in the end plates at one end of the cylinder, the plates beingV formed with integral inwardly-directed portions cooperating with the corresponding portions of the end plates, the door members and the inwardly directed portions acting as stileners for the cylinder.

2. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting flange portions extending axially along the edges of said bodies, said bodies being arranged with said flange portions opposed and cooperating to denne an open-ended cylinder, a pair of sheet metal, substantially semi-circular end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, outwardly projecting anges extending along opposed edges of said endY plates, partition means including a plurality of metal plates in the cylinder having'edge portions disposed between the outwardly projecting flanges oi` the end plates and the opposed outwardly extending ange portions of the said bodies, means for substantially fluid-tightly securing said partition plates to said opposed end plate and body flange portions, openings in the end plates at one end of the cylinder, the plates being formed with converging inwardly-directed portions adjacent the opening, and the converging portions compricing an integral part of the end plate, door members having converging portions cooperating with the corresponding portions of the end plates, and a plurality of radially directed sheet metal members attached to the end plates, the door and the converging portions and the radially directed members acting as stiieners for the cylinder.

3. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting flange portions extending axially along the edges of said bodies, said bodies being arranged with said ange portions opposed and cooperating to define an open-ended cylinder, a pair of sheet metal, substantially semi-circular end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, outwardly projecting flanges extending along opposed edges of said end plates, hub means secured to the end plates coaxially with the cylinder and aligned with central recesses in the end plates?, partition means including two spaced plates in the cylinder secured toA the hub means and having outer edge portions disposed between the opposed outwardly projecting flanges of the end plates and the opposed outwardly extending ilange portions of the said bodies and the plates oi the partition means having spaced inner edge portions, means duid-tightly securing said partition plates to said opposed end plate and body iiange portions, opposed semicylindrical iianges joining the inner edge portions of the partition plate and dening an aperture aligned with the recesses, and a plurality of radially directed sheet metal members attached to the end plates, the partition members and radially extending members serving to stiiien the cylinder.

4. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting flange portions extending' axially along the edges oi said bodies, said bodies being arranged with the flanged portions opposed to define an openended cylinder, a pair of sheet metal substantially semicircnlar end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, partition means including a plurality of metal plates in the cylinder having outer edge portions disposed between opposed edges of the end plates and said opposed outwardly extending anged portions oi the said bodies, and the partition plates having spaced inner edge portions, means substantially iuid tightly securing said partition plate to the said opposed edges and flanged portions, central recesses in the end plates forming regis tered openings and defining an axis or" rotation for the cylinder, and opposed, semi-cylindrical nanges joining the inner edge portions of the partition plate and dening a cylindrical aperture aligned with the openings in the end plates.

5. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting ange portions extending axially along the edges of said bodies, said bodies being arranged with the flanged portions opposed and cooperating to denne an open-ended cylinder, a pair of sheet metal substantially semi-circular end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, outwardly projecting flanges extending along opposed edges of said end plates, partition means including a plurality of metal plates in the cylinder having outer edge portions disposed between the opposed flanges of the end plates, and the opposed outwardly extending flanged portions of the said bodies and the partition plates having spaced inner edge portions, means substantially fluid tightly securing said partition plates to said opposed end plate and body iiange portions, opposed semi-cylindrical iianges joining the inner edge portions of the partition plates, and openings in the end plates at one end of the cylinder, the plates being formed with integral inwardly directed portions around the opening.

5. A dry cleaning machine cylinder for containing garments to be cleaned comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical, perforate, openended sheet metal bodies, outwardly projecting iiange portions extending axially along the edges oi said bodies, said bodies being arranged with the flanged portions opposed and cooperating to define an open-ended cylinder, a pair of sheet metal substantially semi-circular end plates attached to each end of the cylinder and cooperating to substantially close the ends of said cylinder, outwardly projecting flanges extending along opposed edges of said end plates, partition means including a plurality of metal plates in the cylinder having outer edge portions disposed between the opposed flanges of the end plates and the opposed outwardly extending anged portions of the said bodies, and the partition plates having spaced inner edge portions, means substantially rluid tightly securing said partition plates to said opposed end plate and body ange portions, opposed semi-cylindrical flanges joining the inner edge portions of the partition plates, openings in the end plates at one end of the cylinder, the plates being formed with converging inwardly directed portions around the opening, and a plurality of radially extending members attached to the end plates, the partition, inwardly directed portions and radially extending members serving to stiften the cylinder.

References Cited in the Illek 0f this patent UNITED s'rA'ins PA'InNTs Goodreau Oct. 7, 1947 

